Khao soi with homemade paste (Northern Thai style curry noodles)

Khao soi or yellow curry noodle soup is one of the popular northern Thai dishes, the region where I spent most of my childhood eating many yummy local food. It's the dish that does sound and look complicated, with long ingredient list, like something that would take hours to make (something I would rather go to eat at a restaurant if I can). 

The idea of making Khao soi started when a Japanese friend who is a big fan of Thai food suggested that we got together to cook; like a lil home-cooking party. When I had a look at the ingredient list for the first time, I did have a second thought. I'm glad I didn't give up straight away and gave it a whirl. After many searches on the internet; looking at recipes here and there, and two not-so-satifying attempts, this was my final version. 

The ingredients:

10 dried chili 

8 slices ginger

1/2 chopped red onion

A few scallion roots

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 1/2 teaspoon curry powder 

1 teaspoon coriandar powder

1 teaspoon cardamom powder

1 teaspoon sea salt 

1 tablespoon red curry paste

The curry soup:

Any type of meat - I used chicken drumsticks 

and chicken thighs in this recipe

1 can coconut milk

2 cups water 

1 - 2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 cube chicken stock

1 teaspoon sugar

The toppings:

Crispy noodles 

Chopped green onion

Chopped red onion

How to:

1) The paste: Soak the dried chili for at least an hour or until soften. Over low heat, add some oil to the pot. Fry the chili only until the aroma comes out, be careful not to burn them. Remove from the pan. Mix and mash all the ingredients in a mortar and pestle or if you, like me (don't own one), just use the trusty old blender. Add a bit of oil or water to make it easier to blend. 

2) Heat some cooking oil on low heat. Add approx. 1/4 of the paste and stir well. Once the paste starts to seperate from the oil and some little bubbles appear, add some more of the paste. 

Repeat the process until you finish the whole lot. 

3) Over low heat, add the coconut milk to the pot little by little (or coconut cream which will help thicken the broth) to the pan while increasing the heat to medium. Stir well and you will start to see the coconut starts to form bubbles of aromatic oil.

4) Add the meat (I used chicken thighs) and stir well. 

Once the meat starts to change color, add some water to dilute. 

Boil for at least twenty minutes over medium heat. Check the pot from time to time to make sure the bottom of the pot doesn't burn.

5) Deep fry the thin egg noodles until golden and crispy.

6) Boil the egg noodles, preferably thin flat ones until cooked.

7) Cut the limes into little wedges and arrange with the corianders on the side. Pickled cabbages usually added to the dish as well 

but I skip it this time.

**********